15th October, 2015
By RILWAN MOHAMMED
Worried by the immigration bottlenecks many Africans face in the United Kingdom, UK, Her Knowledgeable, Professor Alexia Thomas, a Nigerian-born UK-based activist, brings succour to hundreds of helpless Africans from commonwealth countries.
When she left the shores of Nigeria for the United Kingdom, UK, in 2004, she did not plan to get herself involved in activism in a foreign land. Indeed, the prospect of taking her music career to the next level informed her decision to relocate to the UK, as Her Knowledgeable, Professor Alexia Thomas, a Nigerian-born UK-based activist, who was then popularly known as Lizzy Henz, had already carved a niche for herself in the Nigerian music industry with her high-life reggae-style of music, which she used in preaching against societal ills. But no sooner had she arrived the UK than she was inundated by different cases of immigration issues of many African immigrants, who desired to relocate to the UK. It was the drive to use proper instrumentation of the law to ease these challenges that brought out the activist in her.
Through her several organisations such as the Independent Diplomatic Commission, IDC, a body that seeks to promote the equity and rights of Africans; The Commonwealth Liberation Party, TCLP, a political platform that gives opportunities to Africans who seek political offices and the Protectorate Police Commission, PPC, which helps to secure bail for arrested immigrants, Professor Thomas has contributed immensely in upholding the rights of Africans living in the UK.
For instance, Her Knowledgeable said she has been able to use the PPC to “secure bails for commonwealth citizens who were kept in immigrations camps against their desires,” adding that “We believe that no commonwealth citizen shall be imprisoned until found guilty. We act as mediators in domestic issues because our officers are experts in conflict resolution. We aim to protect every home from unlawful entry following constant abuse on commonwealth citizens by local authorities and other government agencies,” Thomas stressed.
In addition to these, she stressed that the TCLP has given many African migrants in the UK the political platform to participate in the country’s electoral system. “As chairman of TCLP, I am not entitled to contest any political position; I am to ensure that every opportunity is given to all members of commonwealth nations, who already registered with us to contest elections. For the records, the second apocalypse of Judaism led to the Second World War. We are here to stop any appearances of Judaism. TCLP is destined to stop third apocalypse of Judaism.
While stressing that the British government has failed commonwealth nations in the area of immigration, the professor said the situation has given rise to hundreds of needless immigration cases involving prominent Nigerians as well as other Africans from different parts of the continent.
“I must confess that the British government failed commonwealth nations. In 2008, Abass Obesere, the Nigerian fuji musician, had issues regarding his visitor visa status on the point of entry to London, where he had some shows arranged by the Nigerian community in London. I was contacted by his manager and through my diplomatic intervention and prompt action with the British immigration, his release was facilitated. Similar experience happened when Olu Maintain, another Nigerian musician, who had challenges with British immigration at the point of entry where there were allegations that some of his band boys would not be allowed entry on UK soil to perform. I was called upon again and, again, I ensured that all his band boys were released unconditionally. And that is why we have concluded plans to establish a working treaty through Alliance for Commonwealth, where freedom is not a right and not a favour or prerogative of any faulty system,” Thomas said.
Thomas, who urged Nigerian government as well as other heads of government in Africa to collaborate with her on the need to stamp out racism in the UK, said her organisations would appreciate any assistance in the area of provision of logistics. “I am using this medium to reach out to Nigerian government and African Union heads of state, as well as ECOWAS, to reach out to us here in the UK so that together, we can ensure that no member of commonwealth is detained, imprisoned illegally. We are also asking for assistance in the area of freedom logistics,” she added.